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Guardian

Guardian

Who wins from nature’s genetic bounty? The billions at stake in a global ‘biopiracy’ battle

Guardian
Summary
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87% Informative

Scientists are harvesting genetic information from organisms lurking in the nooks and crannies of the rocks.

Genetic codes derived from these organisms is almost always exchanged digitally.

This exchange is now at the heart of an international battle over who owns the natural world’s genetic data and who should benefit from it.

World leaders will meet in Cali in Colombia at Cop16, the global biodiversity summit.

Some countries may begin restricting access to DSI.

Restrictions could hinder future scientific research.

Universities, research institutions and companies facing reputational risks over their use of data.

Companies such as Basecamp have been set up to help researchers and companies avoid those disputes.

Basecamp has already paid royalties to sites where samples have begun the process to a commercial discovery.